Greenwich Village, May 10th 2016

It's Sam's graduation, he is getting his filmography degree.

I'm having mixed feelings about it. It's all bittersweet.

I'm so happy that he is getting his degree but I'm sad that I won't see him anymore in these halls.

His family is coming and he is finally introducing me to them.

I woke up later this morning, I'm trying to avoid coming to NYU today because of Sam.

It won't be the same without him there.

I finally find the strenght to wake up, Sam is the strenght that makes me get out of bed.

It's a day to celebrate him and with him. So I shouldn't let my feelings get caught in the way.

I make my ritualistic routine as it's my trademark.

I head straight to Starbucks and order my Latte Macchiatto.

I try to drink it the fastest I can and I almost choking in it.

I glance at the pile of magazines that Starbucks puts on for their customers to read as they enjoy their goods.

I see a panflet, in it is announced that the auditions for a play version of Swan Lake.

Oh good, this swan thing wasn't really over. I knew it would come back.

I take the panflet and go to NYU, I'm late.

I arrive and I can see everyone's dressed in purple graduation suits.

I search for Sam, it's so hard in this crowd of soon to be graduated students.

I finally find him and he's with his parents.

Geez, I hope I'm dressed well enough for their taste.

Jordan – Hey Sam.

Sam – Jordan, here you are. Thought you wouldn't make it.

Sam (to his parents) – So folks, this is Jordan, my boyfriend.

Carter – Howdy Jordan, I'm Carter Hastings, nice to meet you.

Jordan – Nice to meet you too sir.

Carter – Oh he's very polite.

Amelia – Hello Jordan, I'm Amelia Hastings, you're very handsome.

Amelia – Nice to meet you.

Jordan – Thank you ma'am, nice to meet you too.

Carter – So you go here?

Jordan – Yes, I'm a freshman of the Dramatic Arts department.

Carter – So you want to become an actor?

Jordan – Yes, I've planned to have a career in acting mostly dramas and musicals.

Jordan – Who knows someday I'll feature in a movie or a tv show as well.

Carter – You're very ambitious.

Sam – Did I tell you that he was in a NYU production of Les Miserables in an Off Broadway theatre?

Sam – And Charles Isherwood from The New York Times said he longed for him to be on Broadway so he can watch him again?

Amelia – That's really good. You're a great achiever.

Amelia – I'm sure you will be very successful.

Jordan – Thank you all, you're very kind.

Jordan – But today is about Sam. He is a great achiever too.

Jordan – He's very talented and a great thinker.

Jordan – He's going to do great as a movie director.

Jordan – I've seen his work and the passion he put in it was so great.

Amelia – You're very kind, I see you're very proud of our little Samuel.

Jordan – I am. A lot.

I look at Sam who's really embarassed to hear his parents speak with me.

Jordan – He actually helped me a lot after I lost my mother.

Carter – I'm sad to hear that kid.

Jordan – It's alright the pain is not that heavy anymore but I know it won't disappear.

Jordan – And I don't expect it to.

Jordan – Because that means I still love her and have her in my mind and heart.

Carter – Wise words.

Amelia – I'm so happy for you two, two young lovebirds.

Amelia – How will you cope with Samuel's absence?

Sam – Mother!

Sam – Look the graduation ceremony is going to begin.

Sam leads his mother as I go with his father. They are way ahead of us.

Sam (to his mother) – What was that? Did you have to ask him that?

Amelia – I'm not seeing anything wrong with that question Samuel.

Amelia – It was an innocent question.

Amelia – I'm sure he will suffer from your absence.

Amelia – But I wanted to hear him saying that.

Amelia – To see his intentions towards you and your relationship.

Sam – Mother I know you too well.

Sam – I thought you stopped with that fear of my boyfriends only being with me because of my father status.

Amelia - I understand you son.

Amelia – But do you remember I was right with the last two.

Amelia – They just wanted the title. The spotlight. They didn't want you.

Sam – Well do you want to know something?

Sam – Jordan isn't like that. First I just presented to him as Sam.

Sam – Only a few days ago, he got to know about me.

Sam – I kind of felt hurt because I'm used to people know my title.

Sam – Being the son of Carter Hastings.

Sam – He didn't even know who father was. I had to explain everything to him.

Amelia – Oh so he is from a humble family?

Sam – You mean poor?

Amelia (condescendent) – Well.

Sam – You thought about it.

Amelia – Yes, but you said it.

Sam – No, mom he is from a middle class family.

Sam – But does that matter? The only thing that matters here is his love for me.

Amelia – That's right.

Amelia – Well son I missed you.

Amelia - If it wasn't for you how would I be kind and more careful with words?!

Dean – Welcome everybody to filmography graduation ceremony.

Dean – I'm glad to see these young men an women graduating and heading to a great future.

Dean – New directions. Promising ones.

Dean – Without any further ado, a round of applause for our upperclassmen.

Dean – Congratulations class of 2012.

Dean – Asher Moore.

People clap and cheer.

Dean – Brooke Davis.

Dean – Ryder Harris.

Sam and I clap and cheer loud for him.

Dean – Debbie Turner.

This is a very cheerful celebration. Just as loud as New York.

Well this might be its heart.

Dean – Samuel Hastings

Yay it's time for Sam to go on get his diploma.

His mother hugs me and then his father joins us and we cheer for him.

He's so happy. He's glowing up there.

The dean keeps on naming the students to get their diplomas and the ceremony ends.

Sam has finally his degree.

Midtown Manhattan, May 12th 2016

Sam is meeting me at Starbucks.

I called him because I wanted to know about him.

How he is doing and because of the Swan Lake theatre version play panflet.

Sam arrived at Starbucks, he is wearing the same clothes when I first met him here.

Sam – So what's up?

Jordan – I was about to ask you that.

Sam – Well I sent my short film to a movie company and I'm waiting for an answer.

Jordan – That's good, I'm sure they will love it and want to make it full length.

Sam – So what about you?

Jordan – Well I'm tired of NYU.

Jordan – On your graduation day I went to Starbucks to buy a beverage and I found this here.

I hand Sam the panflet.

Sam – You're not planning to audition for it? Are you?

Jordan – Actually I am.

Jordan – It's the breakthrough to my career as an actor.

Jordan – This is a great play because it isn't easy to play two characters at the same time.

Sam – Oh Jordan please don't do it.

Sam – You're going to be haunted again. You will be mad again.

Jordan – I thought you'd support me more.

Jordan – And so you know I also quit NYU.

Sam - What? Jordan did you lose your mind?

Jordan – Careful you're offending someone's sanity, I can sue you.

Jordan – I actually opened my eyes. I don't need NYU.

Jordan – When I was living in California that's whatI thought that I needed to be successful and talented.

Sam – Oh Jordan please. Everything you have accomplished it was because of NYU.

Sam – NYU was the vehicle for you to get good roles and notoriety.

Jordan – You're right in one thing NYU was the vehicle for what I accomplished.

Jordan – But I was the rider.

Jordan – So that means everything I accomplished was due to my talent and skills.

Jordan – I had everything before NYU. I barely got more skills with NYU.

Sam – No, you're wrong.

Sam – You have accomplished everything due to NYU.

Sam – Please go back to NYU and keep on studying.

Jordan – I can't believe this, you're thinking just like my teachers.

Jordan – That's so sad of you. I'm leaving you here.

Jordan – You know what?!

Sam – What?

Jordan – We're done!

Sam – Don't do that.

Jordan – Actually I just did.

Jordan – In this life you're either with or against me.

Jordan – You chose to be against me, so now I choose to keep you away from my life.

Sam – Well, I guess it's for the best of us.

Sam – You're toxic.

Jordan – Fuck off!

I leave Sam sitting alone at Starbucks. He is sitting with his drink just as I met him.

We went full circle.

I go home with a great rage.

I can't believe I just called off our relationship.

But he said it best. It's for the best of us.